𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁

Many library authors make a mistake. They think examples are enough.

Examples are not enough.

Examples prove a feature works. Real projects prove a library works. These are two different things.

I build many demo applications. I build sample websites, APIs, and components. Everything looks perfect in a demo. Demos show the happy path. They show the ideal workflow.

Demos are controlled environments. The architecture is simple. The requirements stay predictable.

Real projects are different.

When you use a library for a real project, the rules change. You are no longer making a demonstration. You are solving a problem.

Real projects bring:

  • Tight deadlines
  • Changing requirements
  • Complex layouts
  • Edge cases
  • Human mistakes

This is where a library shows its true strength. It shows its true weakness. A library reveals itself under pressure, not in a demo.

Real projects expose your assumptions. An idea might look elegant on paper. It might make sense during development. Then reality hits.

A workflow feels awkward. A configuration feels repetitive. An API feels unnatural. Your design is not wrong, but it has not met reality yet.

The best thing an author can do is become a user of their own software. Do not just build demos. Build websites, applications, and businesses with your tools. Depend on them.

When you depend on your software, your perspective shifts. You stop thinking like an author. You start thinking like a user.

Users care about:

  • Friction
  • Clarity
  • Getting work done

Building real things changes your questions. You stop asking "What features should we add?" Instead, you ask:

  • Why does this workflow feel awkward?
  • Why am I repeating myself?
  • Why did this take too long?

Solving these problems creates better software than any brainstorming session.

Every library needs a real project. This project is not for marketing. It is a proving ground. It forces the library to solve real problems. It finds weaknesses before your users do.

The goal is not to prove your library is perfect. The goal is to create a way for your library to improve.

Source: https://dev.to/stinklewinks/why-every-library-needs-a-real-project-1ae7